Shipping device for hats



Dec. .20, 1932.

e. s. OVERTON 1,891,334

SHIPPING DEVICE FOR HATS 2 Sheec.s-- She e1;- 1

Filed D80. 11, 1929 INVENTOR 650M631 flmerfan BY W1 M ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1932. ovERTo-N 1,891,334

SHIPPING DEVICE FOR HATS Filed Dec. 11, 1929 Sheets-Sheet 2 l1 4 r I 6 I I l h 6 i 11 a? I? 2, Z2 r f-) I I w .9

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INV ENTOR 51 Ah AITORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

GEORGE S. OVER-TON, OF EAST NORWAL-K, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To THE AMERICAN HAT CO. INC., 015 NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, A CGRPORATION OF CONNECTICUT SHIPPING DEVICE FOR HATS Application filed December This invention relates to shipping devices for hats, and has for its primary object and purpose to provide simple and effective means for use in combination with a hat container or enclosure whereby the hat'will be more or lessyieldably supported or held within the container and out of contact with the walls of the latter so as to obviate the possibility of damage or injury to the hat by rough handling of the container or'by such shocks, jars or pressures upon the walls thereof as are more or less unavoidable during transportation. I

I It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a devicefor the above purpose embodying a supporting or holding member inexpensively constructed from light sheet material and which is insertable into the container and removable therefrom as a unit with the hat.

In a preferred practical embodiment of the invention, the device consists essentially in a base of cardboard or other similar sheet material upon which the brim of'the hat is adapted to rest, and said base having means aflixed thereto to extend into the crown of the hat and releasably coact therewith to hold the hat against bodily movement with respect, to said base or in relation to the walls of the box or container within which the latter is enclosed.

It is another feature of the invention to provide such a hat supporting base sheet, one dimension of which slightly exceeds the space between opposite side walls of the container at the bottom of the latter so that in inserting said base sheet, the same willbe slightly flexed or bowed whereby the upper surface of said base sheet will substantially conform in curvature to the pitch or curvature of the hat brim resting thereon, thus providing supporting contact around the entire brim of the hat and preventing angular rocking or tilting movement of the hat relative to said base.

It is also one of the detail objects of the invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, to provide said hat holding or retaining means attached to the base sheet in the form of an upstanding band of'cardboard or simi- 11, 1929. Serial No. 413,153.

lar flexible material having its outwardly folded on itself to provide a rounded bead thereon to yieldably engage the inner surface of the hat crown and the edge of said head being adapted to cooperate with the sweat band of the hat toeifectually prerelative to said cardboard band.

With the aboveand other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved shipping device for hats, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,.and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims; I

vent casual shifting movement of the hat upper edge In the drawings, wherein I- have disclosed several simple and practical embodiments of my present improvements," and in which similar reference characters designate cor; responding parts "throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a hat box or container showing one practical'embodi'ment of my presentinvention as used in combination therewith;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an'enlarged sectional view on Fig. 1; r r

Fig. 4 is a side view showing an'alternative form; Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing another alternative form of the in- Vention, and 1 Fig. -6 is a fragmentary side elevation of an alternative form of the band.

Referring in detail to. the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 5 designates a box, container or enclosure in which the hat is adapted to be shipped by the manufacturer to the jobber or retailer.

of the present invention. However, I preferably use a boX or container 5 of general truncated pyramidal shaped form .constructed as disclosed in a separate application for patent filed of even date herewith William T. Shrader, Serial No. 413,168, so as to provide upwardly sloping or converging side walls as indicated at 6 connected with the base or bottom 7 of the box while the upper smaller end of the box is closed by the top wall 8. At least one of the side walls 6 consists of relatively movable parts whereby the said side of the box may be opened and closed.

The particular invention forming the subject; matter of the present application more especially consists in the provision of a hat holding and supporting device adapted for insertion into and removal from the box or container. As shown, this device includes a base 9 in the form of a somewhat flexible sheet of cardboard or other suitable material of accurately predetermined dimensions. This base 9 has a substantially elliptical shaped opening cut through the central portion thereof as indicated at 10, said opening being of the proper predetermined size in accord ance with the size of the particular hat, and in relation to the band to be described. A band of cardboard or other flexible material preferably manila lined board shown at 11 has one edge portion thereof fitted through the opening 10 and said edge of the band at its outer surface having tight frictional engagement with the edge of said opening. The edge portion of the band projecting below the basev sheet 9 is outwardly turned and foldedon itself to provide the continuous bead indicated at 12, the edge of said bead abutting closely against the under side of the base sheet and preventing the relative verti- 'cal movement of the parts in one direction. The base 9 rests on a shoulder 9. The opening 10 is'such that the walls of the base 9 abut inside of the bead 12. a

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the device isparticularly designed for use in connection with soft felt or derby or straw hats. The height of the band 11 ex tending above the surface of the base 9 is substantially equalto the sweatband, in one embodiment. The upper edge of the band 11 in one embodiment, is also turned outwardly and downwardly upon itself to form the bead 13,

. the purpose of which will presently appear.

The hat indicated at H is fitted upon the holding device beforethe latter isinserted into the box or container, the band 11 being snugly received within the hat crown and the hat being moved downwardly upon said Y band until the brim thereof is in contact with the upper surface of the base 9. In this ap plication of the hat to the holding device, the leather sweatband 12 ofthe hat is pressed closelyagainst the inner surface of the crown wall and when the hat brim finally is engaged with the base sheet 9, this leather band 12 will spring away slightly from the vertical wall of the hat crown so that its ed e will be positioned beneath the lower edge 0 the bead 13 on the band 11 or against the edge of the bead. Thus, this bead acts as a stop, and being positioned substantially in the plane of the hat band prevents upward movement of the hat relative to the cardboard band 11, in one embodiment.

The band 11 enters the inside of the hat.

After the hat has thus been assembled on the holding device, the hat together with said device is inserted within the box or container 5. In the preferred construction, one dimension of the base sheet 9 slightly exceeds the distance between opposite side walls of the box at the bottom wall 7 thereof so that in thus inserting the device within the box this base wall must be slightly flexed or bowed and by its tendency to resume its normal condition, the opposite edges of the base 9 will thereby be held in close frictional contact againstthe opposite side walls 6 of the box.

The upper surface of the base sheet 9 thereby is maintained at a curvature which substantially corresponds to the foreand aft pitch or curvature of the hat brim. Accordingly, it will be understood that the hat brim on its under side will thus have contact with the upper surface of the base sheet 9 entirely around the band 11. I thus obtain a firm though more or less yielding support for the hat at a point abovethe bottom 7 of the box. It is to be particularly noted that the outer edge of the hat brim as well as the'crown of the hat is spaced or out ofcontact with the side walls 6 of the box. Therefore, the opposite ends of the base sheet 9 being in binding frictional engagement with opposite side walls of the box, even in the event that the box may be subjected to violent shock or jar, forcible contact of any part of the hat with the side walls of the box is obviated. The

base sheet 9 in such cases will slightly yield or flex, affording the desired cushioning effect, and thereby precluding the possibility of injury or damage to the hat enclosed within the box or container. Under normal conditions, the lower surface of the bead l2 may either contact with the bottom wall 7 of the box or be slightly spaced above the same.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly different form of the device, in which the band 11 is attached to the base sheet 9 in the same manner as above described, but slightly flares or tapers upwardly and outwardly from the edge of the opening 10 in the base upon the flexing of the member 9. N

In other words, the band 11 at its attached lower edge is of somewhat less dimensions along both the major and minor axes thereof than the upper edge of'said band. Thus in this case, in assembling the hat upon the'holding device, the band 11 at the ends of its major axis is slightly compressed or forced inwardly so that it may be fitted within the hat crown. Thus, as the hat crown is forced downwardly on said band, the latter by its inherent resiliency will exert a tight frictional holding pressure against'the inner side of the hat crown which will offer sufiicient resistance against displacement of the hat due to ordinary shocks or jars to which the box or container may be subjected during transportation. I I

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a construction similar to that in Fig. 1, except in this case the base sheet 9 is not bowed or curved but is of such size that it will accurately fit between opposite side walls of the box. The outwardly turned hollow bead 12 formed on the lower edge of the band 11 in this construction will be in contact with the base or bottom wall 7 of the box so as to offer a yieldable cushioning effect in opposition to downwardly directed shocks or jars, while the contacting engagement between opposite edges of the base sheet 9 and the side walls of the box will produce the desired yieldable flexing of the base to cushion or absorb shocks or jars acting in the opposite direction. Therefore, here again, it will be observed that the hat is adequately supported and cushioned within the box or container against any possibility of contacting engagement of any part of the hat with the rigid unyielding walls of the box or container.

In each of the constructions above described, it will be noted that the holding device for the hat may be readily inserted into the box or removed therefrom as a complete unit with the hat. After removal of the device, the hat can be very readily separated or disengaged from the holding means in an obvious manner. In each case the band of the base enters the inside of the hat.

In Fig. 6 is shown a tapering of the lower band, with the smallest part at the front and back of the hat, and the largest portion along the sides. This tapering 11 is somewhat curved so that on flexing the base 9, the tapering conforms therewith.

From the foregoing description consid ered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the several novel features of my improved hat shipping device as well as the manner of use thereof will be clearly understood. It will be seen that in an exceedingly simple and inexpensive structure, I have provided means which may be easily and quickly applied to the inside of the hat and inserted within the container so as to insure the arrival of the hat at its destination in the same perfect form, shape or condition as when it left the factory, without the hat coming in contact with the inside of the box. Therefore, returns of damaged goods from the jobbers or retailers to the manufacturer will be reduced to a minimum.

While I have herein shown and described several practical and desirable embodiments of my present improvements, it is nevertheless to be understood that the essential features thereof might also be incorporated in various otheralternative structures, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly embodied Within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed; I I

I claim: 1 g I 1. In combination with a box or container, hat supporting means including a base of flexible yieldable materialof greater dimension in one direction than the corresponding dimension of the container, and means carried by said base for attachment to the inside of the hat whereby said device and the'ha-t are insertable as a unit into the container,

and opposite edges of said base being adaptcdto frictionally' engage with the opposite sidewalls of the container and retain the base in fixed relation thereto'whereby the hat is supported by said base out of contact with the container wa-lls'in any position of the latter.

2. In combination with abo'x or container,

a hat supporting device including a base of flexible yieldable material of greater dimensionin one direction than the corresponding dimension of the container, an upstanding band of yieldable material carried by said base and insertable into'thecrown of'a hat to releasablyretain the hat in attached relation to the base for insertion as a unit with the latter into the box or container, the opthan the larger end of the box, an upstanding band carried by said base for insertion into the crown of a hat, and said band having its upper edge outwardly turned for engagement over the edge of the sweat band of the hat to therebyretain the hat in attached rela- -tion'to said'base for insertion as a unit therewith into the box, and said base at its opposite edges adapted to yieldably engage opposite'side walls of the box to prevent contact of the hat with the box walls in any position of the latter; j

4. In combination with a box orcontainer having inwardly tapering side walls, ahat supporting device including a base of flexible 1 yieldable material of slightly less dimensions than the larger end of the box, means carried by said base projecting upwardly therefrom and yieldable relative thereto, said means being adapted for insertion into the hat crown and coacting with a part thereof to hold the hat in attached relation'to said base for insertion as a unit therewithinto the box, and opposite edges of said base-adapted to yieldably coact with opposite side walls of the box 3330 to prevent contact of the hat with the box walls in any position of the latter.

5. In combination with a box or container having upwardly converging opposite'side walls, a hat supporting device including a base of flexible yieldable material one dimension of said base exceeding the greatest distance between said side walls, and means carried by on the engagement therewith of the base and the sweatband of the hat.

In testimon that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

GEORGE s. OVERTON.

said base insertable into the crown of a hat ably coact with the upwardly tapering side Walls of the box whereby said yieldable base constitutes cushioning or p shock absorbing means for the hat and prevents contact thereof with the box walls. 1

6. In combination with a box or container having upwardly tapering opposite side walls, a hat supporting device including a base of flexible yieldable material and means carried by said base for holding a hat in attached relation to the base to be inserted as a unit therewith into the box, and said base in one dimension exceeding the distance between the lower ends of said upwardly tapering box walls whereby in inserting said base into the box, the same is flexed or bowed in an are substantially corresponding to the arc of curvature of the hat brim whereby the latter will rest in contacting engagement upon the upper surface of the base at all points around the hat crown, and the opposite edges of said base being resiliently urged into yielding contact with the box walls whereby the hat is yieldably supported out of contact with the walls of the box in any position of the latter.

7. A hat support comprising a base having an opening, and an upwardly extending circular band within the opening and having an openablebead, the base extending into the bead and being heldthereby.

8. A hat support comprising a basehaving an opening and an upwardly extending circular band within the opening and having beads at both ends, the base entering one bead and the other bead being adaptedto be engaged by the sweatband of the hat.

9. A hat support like claim 7, with the lower bead tapering from the sides to the front and back of the hat. 1

10. A hat support like claim 7 in which the opening of the base has a smallerdiameter than the band, and the walls surrounding the opening, engaging the shoulder of the bead and the free end of thebead engaging the base. r V

11. In a hat support, a band and base therefor, the band having circumferential beads at its upper and lower edges, both beads having shoulders and yieldable resilient exten- 65,

sions therefrom, adapted to be pressed back 

